Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 509: I’ll find you!

"Wait—it’s you? Ataneya?!"

Klorvax’s massive body jolted, clearly not expecting to see Ataneya here.

But there wasn’t a trace of fear in his eyes. Instead, he stared at her with a strange, unsettling gleam.

"Ataneya, you traitor. Why are you with him? So that outsider... you’re the one who brought him here, huh? In that case, don’t blame me for what happens next!"

"Like hell it’s your business!" Ataneya snapped, her voice sharp and cold. "If you wanna fight, then fight. Cut the damn chatter."

As she spoke, the weapon in her hand flared with a wild, violent energy.

And just like that—

Boom!

CRACK-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM—

They clashed in an instant, and the impact was so intense it warped the space around them. Even the nearby mountains trembled, as if an earthquake had just hit.

Ethan quickly ducked behind a rocky outcrop, finding a relatively safe spot to hide while he watched the battle unfold.

Klorvax, as it turned out, was a monstrous beetle-like creature—massive and armored, with terrifying thunder-based attacks that crackled through the air like a storm gone mad.

BOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

Thunder roared like a beast, turning the battlefield into a sea of lightning.

Ethan’s heart pounded in his chest. The sheer power on display was overwhelming.

But Ataneya? She didn’t flinch. Not even a little. If anything, she looked even more fired up. Her blood-red sword danced through the air, each swing unleashing a storm of crimson energy that rained down on Klorvax’s armored back.

But it wasn’t doing much.

That beetle’s defense was insane.

"RAAAHHH!"

"Ataneya! You betrayed us! You’re dead!"

Just as the fight between them reached a fever pitch, a deafening roar echoed from the distance. A moment later, a massive creature appeared—towering and terrifying.

From afar, it looked like an elephant... but its head was all wrong. It had the face of a lion, completely mismatched with its long trunk.

"Great. Another one?" Ethan muttered, frowning.

If this thing teamed up with Klorvax, they’d be in serious trouble.

Even Ataneya, a Tier 14 powerhouse, might not be able to handle both at once.

And then—

WHRRRRMMM!

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM—

The worst-case scenario happened. The lion-elephant hybrid suddenly launched into the air, its body swelling and expanding until it was over a hundred feet tall.

Golden light blasted from its trunk, tearing the air apart, shattering space itself.

"Shit. I’ve gotta jump in," Ethan muttered, steadying his breath before charging into the fray.

Luckily, he quickly realized this new monster wasn’t quite on Klorvax’s level. Still dangerous, but not as overwhelming.

That meant he had a shot.

Without hesitation, he threw himself into the fight.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Explosions echoed like thunderclaps, shockwaves rippling outward, tearing a visible rift in the sky above them.

Meanwhile, Ataneya and Klorvax’s battle had reached a brutal crescendo.

"You little maniac!" Klorvax roared. "You brought an outsider here to steal the power of the Dark World? You’ve betrayed everything we stand for! Fine. Then you and that punk are both dying here today!"

With a furious snarl, he began to summon something.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH—

The space around them twisted violently, and suddenly, swarms of dark beetles began pouring in from the rift.

Each one radiated a savage, chaotic energy—and worse, they were linking together, amplifying their power.

"Damn it... this is bad," Ethan muttered, panic creeping into his voice.

He couldn’t summon his own allies here. The only one he had was Ataneya.

And she was still locked in mid-air, pinned down by Klorvax’s relentless assault.

At the same time, more monsters—elephants, beetles, and who knows what else—came flooding in from every direction.

In seconds, Ethan was completely surrounded.

"Shit!"

"We’re surrounded? No way—I’ve gotta break out of this!"

"Can’t let them box me in!"

Ethan muttered under his breath, then in a flash, his body surged with raw power. A shockwave blasted out from him, instantly pulverizing the nearest elephant-like beasts and beetles into chunks of meat.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

...

He didn’t waste a second—using the opening, he blinked forward in a burst of speed and reappeared right next to Ataneya.

"Ataneya, who the hell is that guy? Why’s he so damn strong?"

"My Lord," she said quickly, "he’s one of the Ten Sovereigns of the Citadel of Shadows. His specialty is summoning—he can call forth endless swarms of dark beetles to fight for him."

"In short, he’s a pain in the ass."

"Summoner, huh?" Ethan frowned. If even Ataneya was saying that, then this guy was no joke. They couldn’t afford to get bogged down here.

"Alright, we’re pulling out," he said.

Ataneya didn’t hesitate. A powerful spatial energy flared around her, and in the blink of an eye, she and Ethan vanished from the battlefield.

"Ataneya!!"

Klorvax’s roar shook the air.

He hadn’t expected her to run.

"You can’t hide from me, traitor! I’ll find you!"

"And next time I see you two—I’ll tear you both to pieces!"

Meanwhile, Ethan and Ataneya were already slipping through the folds of space.

VMMM!

Moments later, they emerged at a spatial node. As they stepped through, the scenery around them shifted—transforming into a vast, seemingly endless lake.

The shoreline was lined with strange, otherworldly trees—dark, twisted things that pulsed with eerie energy.

"What is this...? Dark Magic?" Ethan murmured, narrowing his eyes. The trees were radiating a sinister, creeping power.

"My Lord, be careful," Ataneya warned. "These are Umbral Trees—one of the forbidden relics of the Citadel of Shadows. They’re saturated with pure death energy. If it seeps into you, it’s a nightmare to get rid of."

"Umbral Trees, huh..." Ethan muttered, frowning.

But before he could say more—

ROOOAAARRR!

A monstrous roar split the air. The lake churned violently, and a massive creature rose from the depths.

It was a giant turtle, its entire body wreathed in dark, oppressive energy.

"You’ve gotta be kidding me," Ethan groaned, his expression darkening.

He immediately pulled up his system interface and scanned the creature.

[Grithokk]

Loyal Servant of Klorvax

Level: 81

Species: Abyssal Shellbeast

Tier: 12

Class: Crimson Ultimate Hero

Hero Role: Abyssal Shellbeast Warrior

HP: 100,000

Physical Damage: 568–872

Magic Damage: 1132–1318

Hero Skills:

Shellcraft Mastery（Master）

Abyssal Fortitude（Master）

Brutal Tenacity（Master）

Hero Talents:

Dreadshell Slam: Area shockwave that deals physical damage and reduces enemy armor.

Ironback Charge: Retreats into shell and charges forward, dealing heavy damage and applying "Shellshock" (attack debuff).

Abyssal War Stomp: Leaps and slams the ground, causing AoE stun.

Blackrock Fortress: Ultimate stance. Full defense mode with damage reflection. Basic attacks taunt enemies.

Overall Rating: Crimson Ultimate Hero – Grade D (7%)

"Just a standard Crimson Ultimate tank," Ethan muttered, exhaling in relief. "Tough, yeah, but nothing I can’t handle. Hell, I could probably solo this guy if I had to."

And with Ataneya at his side? No contest.

Still, the timing was suspicious. Why had this thing shown up now?

ROOOAAARRR!

The lake exploded with force as Grithokk surged forward, dark energy crackling off his shell like a storm. He charged straight at Ethan, the ground trembling beneath his weight.

"Well, well... looks like I caught you after all," the beast growled, its voice deep and guttural. "Now be good and come with me."

"My master’s been looking for you..."

...